


Grown Up Noodle

by thanku_bess



Category: Madam Secretary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:49:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29810751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thanku_bess/pseuds/thanku_bess
Summary: Snapshots of Alison McCord's adult life, with a focus on family
Relationships: Alison McCord & Elizabeth McCord, Alison McCord & Henry McCord, Elizabeth McCord/Henry McCord, Mike Barnow & Elizabeth McCord, Stevie McCord/Dmitri Petrov
Comments: 6
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

Elizabeth walked out of the bathroom after finishing her makeup. “I can’t believe Noodle is engaged!” She exclaimed. 

“I can’t believe we will have Thanksgiving with Mike B. for the rest of our lives,” Henry replied, knotting his tie.

Alison and Zach wanted to keep the engagement dinner simple—just their two families, plus Blake, Trevor, and their twins. At this point, Blake was basically a biological McCord. Ali wasn’t nervous about the party, though she was slightly concerned that a very pregnant Stevie would go into labor with her second niece or nephew before the champagne toast. Sensing this, Zach had suggested a restaurant that was both secure enough for POTUS and close to the hospital. One of the many reasons she loved him.

The night of the party, Ali could not have been happier with the choice to keep an intimate guest list. The sight of the people she loved most in the world seated together made her heart swell. Her mom, laughing at something her dad had said. Dmitri, cutting up her niece’s food into bite sized pieces. Stevie watching her husband and daughter, completely lovestruck. Blake’s son reaching his hand toward Stevie’s pregnant belly, while his twin sister pulled his hair. Trevor leaning over to whisper something in Blake’s ear. Jason’s girlfriend sticking her fork onto his plate to try his dinner, as he rolled his eyes playfully in response.

Ali turned to Zach. “I’m so happy.” Zach beamed and stole a quick kiss. They heard the sound of silverware clinking against a champagne glass, and a look of panic flashed across Zach's face when he realized his father was the one about to make a toast. “I didn’t know about this!” He whispered to Ali. She patted his arm. “Let’s just see where it goes."

Mike rose from his chair. “ I just want to start by saying Ali B. has a nice ring to it and hyphenated names are bullshit. Speaking of rings, nice work, Zach. Zach and Alison, watching the two of you grow has made me feel emotions. I hate it. Five years ago, I told Zach to dance with Alison at the older one's wedding because who wouldn't want to join the McCord family? What a gene pool! 

I'm going to be serious for a minute and then we will never speak of this again. But it's actually impossible to be snarky about Middle McCord. Alison, you have the kindest heart of anyone I've ever met. Obviously genetics helped, but you're your own fiercely independent and remarkable woman. As your future father in law I will tell you I love you once a year on Christmas. Zach, I'm seriously not sure how you turned out to be the man you are today. But I'm so happy for you, kid. There's only room for one future father in law to tell horrible jokes in a toast and it's not me,” He looked to Henry, who just shook his head and smiled. Mike raised his glass. "So let's drink.”

Ali and Zach exchanged surprised glances. They both stood up to hug Mike.

Elizabeth dabbed at her eyes. “I never thought I’d say this about a Mike B toast, but that was beautiful,” she whispered to Henry. Henry nodded, moved by how his Noodle was so cherished. “I’ll save Thomas Aquinas for the wedding,” he said, raising his glass.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a chilly February afternoon with a clear blue sky. Elizabeth, Henry, and Mike stood outside a brownstone in Williamsburg, clutching to-go cups of overpriced coffee. “Yuppies. Yuppies everywhere,” Mike shuddered. 

Ali and Zach met them on the steps of the apartment. They hugged their parents. “Come inside, guys, it’s freezing,” Zach said, after kissing Elizabeth on the cheek. “We live on the second floor,” Ali added.

They unlocked the door to their new apartment, which was mostly unpacked save for a few cardboard boxes in the corner of the living room. “Ta da! What do you think?” Ali asked them excitedly. “We’ll give you the full tour, but what’s your immediate reaction?"

Mike scanned the room. “Well this is an upgrade from the first apartment. That place was a shithole, right Bess?”

“Mom? I thought you and Dad loved our first apartment!” Ali turned to her mother, who mouthed “Thanks a lot” to Mike.

“Your mom and I liked the apartment, Noodle,” Henry chimed in reassuringly. “We just thought it was a little small.”

“Well then you’ll really like this one,” Zach said and Ali beamed. 

She and Zach walked the family through their small but renovated kitchen, their living room, and the master bedroom. Elizabeth insisted on seeing the bathroom, and Ali obliged. Henry glanced at the closed door of the second bedroom. “It’s great that you have this extra space,” he remarked.

“I’m sure the guest room’s nice but I’m still going to stay in a hotel when I visit,” Mike added.

Zach rolled his eyes. “Dad, it’s actually not a guest room.”

“Are you using it as an office?” Elizabeth asked.

“Why don’t you have a look inside?” Ali opened the door.

The room was completely bare. “I don’t get it.” Mike said plainly.

“Well, we wanted you to see the piece of art we put up on the wall,” Ali explained, ushering them further into the room.

The three parents took in the banner hanging on the wall that proclaimed “This is a nursery! Baby M-B Coming October 2025”

“Oh my goodness! My baby girl is having a baby!” Elizabeth squealed, pulling Ali into a big hug. Henry embraced his wife and daughter, teary eyed. “Congratulations, Noodle.” 

After finally releasing Ali, Elizabeth embraced Zach. “I’m so happy for you!” Henry clapped him on the back.

Mike remained standing alone, eyes glued to the banner. 

“Earth to Mike,” Elizabeth called. Mike turned around to face his family, who all tried to conceal their surprise at the tears streaming down his face. 

“Aw, Dad,” Zach pulled Mike into a hug. Elizabeth, Henry, and Ali turned away to give the father and son a moment of privacy.

“I was not expecting that reaction,” Elizabeth whispered.

“I don’t think any of us were,” Henry whispered back.

“Come here Al,” Zach called. Ali walked over to Zach and Mike, who squeezed her hand. “Middle McCord,” he said softly. “You’ve outdone yourself.” 

Ali grinned and kissed her father in law on the cheek. “Congratulations, Grandpa B!"


	3. Chapter 3

“We’re not naming the baby Gordon, Junior.”

“But it’s gender neutral!” Her father in law protested.

Alison rolled her eyes. “Is it, though?”

“Dad, it’s weird,” Zach added.

“Fine, but just know that only certain baby names are acceptable to the Barnows. Nothing like-“ Mike jerked his head in the direction of Stevie and Dmitri’s daughter, Madeline, who was building a sandcastle with Henry and Dmitri. She had her father's dark brown hair, which Stevie had pulled back into two curly pigtails. 

“I saw that!” Stevie called from where she sat under an umbrella, taking bottles of water out of a large cooler. 

“And while we’re talking about names, let me guess—the baby’s last name will be hyphenated?”

Ali and Zach shrugged.

"Feminism,” Mike shuddered. 

Alison reached across her chair to take Mike’s hand. “I’m never going to be Ali B. but you still love me,” she said teasingly.

“Middle McCord, I told you I loved you at the wedding and I agreed I would acknowledge it once a year.” He squeezed her hand. “But since you’re carrying my first grandchild, so how does twice a year sound?”

“Sounds about right.”

Mike huffed. “Ok, this was enough family bonding. Stevie, please tell me there's alcohol in that cooler.”

"Only water and sandwiches! This is a family friendly cooler!" 

Elizabeth walked over to where her family was sitting. “Hi everyone! Where are my grandbabies?”

“Maddy is building a sandcastle with Dad and Dmitri,” Stevie replied.

“And Ben?"

Stevie froze. “Where’s Ben? I lost Ben! I was so busy making sure we all had water, because we need to stay hydrated. Here, Mom," she handed Elizabeth a cold water. "Drink this while I kick myself for losing my own child!"

“Relax, Stevie, he’s over there,” Ali pointed toward the ocean, where Jason was holding his nephew's hand. The two year old was stomping on the white foam from the waves crashing onto shore. "I can't believe you trust Jason to take your kid swimming," she continued. "He'll probably teach him to pee in the ocean."

Stevie rolled her eyes. "Both our kids were enrolled in early swimming lessons. Dmitri felt strongly they should know how to swim as soon as possible. Ben's probably a better swimmer than Jason."

Zach turned to Ali. "Hey Al, we should do that with our kid." Ali looked down at her growing belly and smiled. 

Stevie checked her watch. "Mom, can you rally Maddy, Dmitri, and Dad? They all need to rehydrate." 

Elizabeth saluted and sauntered over to where the three of them were still hard at work. At the sight of Elizabeth, Maddy leapt up. "Nana!!!" 

"Hi baby!" Elizabeth scooped her into her arms, paying no mind to the sand Maddy was shedding on her beach cover up. "Mom says it's time to drink more water. That means you too, boys," she nodded toward Henry and Dmitri. 

The four of them joined Stevie, who doled out cold bottles. She unscrewed the cap on one for Maddy and handed it her. 

"Hey babe," Elizabeth skimmed her thumb across Henry's cheek. "You got a little sand on your face."

He grinned and gestured to her outfit, which was covered in sand from carrying Maddy. "I could say the same about you." He lowered his voice. "And I might have an idea or two about how to fix it."

On the car ride home, Maddy and Ben passed out pretty quickly, exhausted from a long day of playing in the sun. Stevie and Dmitri had changed them out of their bathing suits and put them in fresh clothes before leaving so they would be comfortable in their car seats. 

"Do you think I was too neurotic about the water?" Stevie asked. 

Dmitri shook his head. "I think you are an amazing mother. I didn't think it was possible to love you any more than I already did, but every day with our kids proves me wrong."

"I love you."

They sat in silence for a few moments, listening to Ben and Maddy snore softly. 

"Dmitri?"

"Hmm?"

"I was just thinking--I mean everything is so perfect already and I just love our little family--"

"But you want to try for a third?"

Stevie laughed. "Yeah, I do. How did you know I was going to say that?"

"Because I was thinking the same thing."


	4. Chapter 4

Elizabeth curled up on the couch and video chatted Ali. “Hi Noodle! What's this I hear about you being pissed at Mike B?” She asked, once Ali’s face appeared on the screen. 

“Hi Mom. What did he tell you?” 

"He just said you ripped him a new one.” 

"Zach and I needed him to pick up Sloane from school on Thursday because she had half a day. He promised he'd be in and out and take her to lunch."

"But?"

"He overheard a PTA mom talking on the phone about how climate change is a myth, and the next thing I know the school is calling me at work telling me Grandpa can't be on the dismissal list anymore."

Elizabeth snorted. “Well, Mike feels terrible."

"He should. What other grandpa gets banned from carpool? He dropped her back off to us with an apology gift."

"How long are you two going to keep him in the dog house?"

"Until tomorrow when we're all going apple picking."

Elizabeth blinked. "Wow. You really made him a softie, Noodle."

“I think the credit goes to Sloane."

“That is true, but I saw something shift even before she was born. Back when you and Zach became serious, he said, 'Bess, Ali is something special.’"

“Aww,” Ali sighed. “I tell him he's my least favorite-favorite person.”

“I feel the same way,” Elizabeth laughed. “Now put Sloane on."


End file.
